AMHERST, Mass. – Following a second-quarter equalizer from junior Maya Harrington, the Amherst College field hockey team maintained a defensive battle through regular and overtime but ultimately fell 2-1 (3-0) following a penalty shootout against No. 9 Hamilton College Saturday afternoon at Hill Field.
The Mammoths honored four seniors during the contest: senior Justine Liguori, senior Anna Aiello, senior Molly Donegan, and senior Isa Lattuada.
Amherst fell to 6-7 on the season and 2-6 in NESCAC play, while Hamilton rose to 10-3 overall and 5-3 in the conference. The Mammoths will head to Brunswick to face NESCAC foe Bowdoin next, who they'll challenge at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Ryan Field.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
*Strong defense from the visiting Continentals relegated Amherst to zero shots in the first quarter. Hamilton looked for offensive opportunities, winning two penalty corners in the opening ten minutes, but three saves from sophomore goaltender Kate Grady left the contest at 0-0.
*In the third minute of the second stanza, sophomore Eleanor Cooper inserted to senior Claire Tratnyek, who then found junior Alden Duserick on the left flank. Duserick took a touch toward the goal, then fired past Grady into the right corner to take the Continentals up 1-0.
*Amherst found its equalizer four minutes later as Harington dribbled down the left aisle, worked her way around two defenders, then fired across the frame and into the right corner.
*Sophomore Emily Huehn helped keep the Continentals scoreless in the third quarter, chasing down first-year Eva Bell on a breakaway in the eleventh minute and sending the ball downfield to safety.
*The Mammoth offense heated up in the fourth quarter with two penalty corners in the first three minutes. On the second, Harrington inserted to first-year Bella Kim at the top of the arch, who ripped the ball toward the crossbar, but the shot was saved by sophomore goaltender Kelly Janssen.
*In the waning moments of the fourth quarter, junior Isabella Nahon fired a shot at the top of the circle on a penalty corner, but a strong block from Harrington deflected the ball wide to send the match to overtime.
*In the first overtime stretch, a string of three penalty corners in the third and fourth minute gave Amherst momentum, but shots from Huehn, Harrington, and first-year Emma Zhang all faced blocks from Janssen and the Continental defense.
*A final push from the Continentals in the last minute of overtime saw the visitors look to capitalize on two penalty corners, but a closing save from Grady kept the game tied at 1-1.
*Hamilton ultimately edged Amherst in shootout play, converting all three penalty attempts. Janssen successfully defended all three of Amherst's shots to win the game 2-1 (3-0) for the Continentals.
BY THE NUMBERS:
*Hamilton led offensively, going 13-8 in shots, 9-5 in shots on goal, and 11-5 in corners taken.
*Tratnyek and senior Becky Felker tied for the most shots of the night, firing 3. Off the Amherst bench, Harrington had the most with 2.
* Across 80 minutes, Grady made 7 saves. Janssen made 4 saves across 50 minutes and senior Abby Griffin made 0 across 30 minutes.
